This is an AI-generated image titled “Skating Nanis” that was posted in 2023 by Ashish Jose (or @tarqeeb) on Instagram. Jose used the AI generator MidJourney to create a series of images of older Indian women wearing sarees and shawls riding bikes and skateboards through the streets. The images went viral and were shared widely, garnering more than 3.5 million likes on Instagram.

discussion

Describe how the women in this image compare to older women you know or your perceptions of older women.

Why do you think the artist Ashish Jose created and posted this image? What do you think the image tells us about age?

Do the women look real to you? Can you tell this is an AI-generated image? Does the fact that the image is AI-generated impact how we interpret or understand it?

Jose is transparent about his use of AI, using hashtags including #midjourney, #aiart and #generativeart. Do you think this kind of transparency is important? Why or why not?